I. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns devices for protecting telecommunications equipment from voltage spikes, current overload or sneak current. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for connecting building entrance protectors to each other. Most particularly, the present invention is directed to a fastener construction for connecting and maintaining daisy-chain connections between adjacent building entrance protectors to protect terminal equipment from voltage spikes.
II. Description of the Related Art
Building entrance protectors (BEP) are commonly used as an interface between communication lines from a central office and communication lines in an indoor environment, as for example in office buildings, apartment buildings, etc. The communication lines from a central office and, in the case of a business office, local inter-office lines that connect to terminal devices in an office environment, are connected to BEP units. BEP units have mounting tabs and are typically mounted in a wiring room or closet and fastened by their mounting tabs to panels such as plywood boards, etc., by fasteners placed through the mounting tabs. It is essential for terminal device equipment protection that the BEP units are grounded so that they provide a discharge path for voltage surges or spikes, current overloads or sneak current that may occur in the building from other equipment or from a lightning strike on a central office line, and which would otherwise damage terminal device equipment connected to communication lines through the BEP units.
A problem arises with BEP installation in that a first BEP is typically fastened to a panel and grounded by a wire, and then other BEP units are sequentially connected to the first BEP unit in a line or "daisy chained" together. To provide for a common ground between a plurality of BEP units, a small wire usually connects a first BEP to a second BEP, a second BEP to a third, etc., with only the initial (e.g. first) BEP unit connected directly to the building or earth ground. Such a daisy-chain connecting technique introduces difficulties because, often times interconnecting BEP grounding wires are inadvertently or carelessly disconnected or are omitted which eliminates the safety ground from one or more of the BEPs in the chain. As a result, some of the BEPs and the terminal devices connected thereto will become or remain ungrounded and thus susceptible to damaging voltage spikes, current overload and sneak current.